Not my characters.
I see this ending up like Arrogant, in that I mildly neglect my other stories to write it... But I've finished one, and updated the other two today so I feel less guilty coming back to it.
Nothing else to say I guess, other than the usual.
On we go!
-YD-
"Ready?" Vlad stood fixing his cape, betrothed contract rolled up and tucked in his jacket. "I feel high as the sun in the sky right now!" As midnight ticked in, Vlad felt like liquid energy had replaced his muscles and brain. "Not surprised, your eyes are still glowing." He couldn't see it, but Ingrid had been ready to go for midnight, both somehow forgetting Vlad's powers would kick in as he turned eighteen. "Hey, at least nobody can argue my status now." "Whatever. Are you ready to go?" As a "couple", their outfits were chosen to compliment the others, and naturally Ingrid had chosen his in spite of it traditionally being the other way around. "As I'll ever be. Ready to cause a splash?" "Always." He had to admit they looked the part, Ingrid's crimson corset and belt the same shade as his waistcoat and tie. Her dress glittered in the candlelight, the lapels of his suit jacket imitating that.
"Best get going before they send out a search party." Ingrid nodded, pushing her long dark hair over her shoulder and shifting to her bat form. Vlad followed suit, flapping out of the window left open for that very purpose. The trip to Transylvania was short, not even a little taxing on his new powers as he and Ingrid landed. The building was large, imposing and about to belong to Vlad in its entirety. "So, Hack first? I know he's your biggest fan." "At least he's only interested in smokey panda crisps and raw meat. I sent ahead a gift basket, don't worry." Chuckling to himself at Ingrid's look of disdain (she hated raw meat, too messy), Vlad stepped up to the Vampire Resources desk. "Ah, you're here! We were beginning to worry. Evening Miss Dracula." Ignoring the slight of greeting Ingrid and not him, he could correct Hack later, Vlad held out the contract. "And this is?" "A betrothal contract, I intend to announce publicly but it needs to be filed first." Ingrid pulled up her entirely feigned 'sweet' smile, and Hack didn't even look at the paper closely. "You can file that now for me, right Hack? Its all in order, signed and checked."
"For you Ingrid, of course. And yourself Chosen One, naturally." Vlad waited until the paper was safely in the 'accepted' box Ingrid indicated before he relaxed. "Who is the contract for anyway?" Twin smirks crossed the Draculas faces - they both took amusement in creating drama, Ingrid for the sake of chaos, Vlad for the fun of destroying expectations - as they answered. "Us." Hack dropped the bag of crisps he was holding, looking up at the two of them. "I'm sorry?" "You heard right. Ingrid is now officially my betrothed, and you know the contract wouldn't have filed if it weren't legal. Thank you Hack, feel free to call up an assistant and join the party." Vlad held out an arm, Ingrid taking it and they flitted off up to the room the ceremony awaited Vlad was held in. They stopped a corridor away, falling into laughter. "I've never seen him put down something he hadn't finished before. This is going to be fun." "Yeah, makes up for the awkward dancing practice!" Composing themselves to typical "resting death plotting" faces, Vlad held his hand out towards the doors, which opened. "Show time."
The chatter and music fell silent as they walked in, all eyes turning to the Dracula twosome. Vlad caught his father, surrounded by vampiresses half his age, who all stopped talking to him to stare at Vlad. "Don't stop partying on my account, we are celebrating right?" Nobody seemed to know what to make of it, Vlad walking in with Ingrid at his side already a powerful statement, even if they weren't touching now. Eventually Ustrel Bouderon - the current leader of the High Council, about to be shifted to second now Vlad was of age - stepped forward, dropping to one knee and bowing his head. "Chosen One. We welcome you." About half the other vampires also followed suit, but many stayed standing, looking at Vlad in distrust. "THIS is the new Grand High Vampire? You've got to be kidding." Deciding the inevitable dusting would be best got out of the way early, Vlad lazily pointed one finger at the Vampire challenging him, who fell to the ground in a cloud of dusty death. "Anyone else?" Any vampire still standing, except Ingrid naturally, dropped to their knees too.
"Good. Now stand up, I believe we have a coronation to get through." The coronation was dull, full of swearing to uphold chaos and evil, which Vlad intended to change when he had a handle on procedure - Ingrid's early study when she was winning her place on the Council came in exceptionally handy - until they finally presented him with the Crown of Power. This was the ultimate test, with the Chosen One alive the Crown would dust anyone trying to take his place. Sighing at the circle of bones "carved from victims from the dawn of time", Vlad knelt in front of Ustrel - as the host, this was his job to present the Crown to Vlad. Something was off, Vlad could feel it. Having worn the Crown once already, he knew how it felt around him, like it was calling him.
"Nice try, but you can't fool me." Vlad stood, reaching a hand up to the fake crown and crumbling it to pieces. "I can sense the real Crown, I think you should test it out for me though." Vlad pushed Ustrel down, holding out his free hand to summon the true Crown of Power. "Apologies your grandness! Please!" "Don't be so pathetic." Placing the Crown on the restrained vampires head, he watched dispassionately as the Vampire screamed and exploded. "So, now we know this is the real deal, anyone else stupid enough to try and stop me?" Nobody stepped forward, so Vlad held the bones over his head and lowered it down. He felt the connection, the way it recognised every fibre of his power and amplified it, a far better fit than it had been when he used it to save his family back in Stokely. Now he was truly the ultimate power, and it felt... good.
The doors opened again, revealing a still slightly shell shocked Hack. "Ah, just in time. Before the festivities continue, I am happy to announce my betrothral. To Ingrid Dracula." Ingrid moved to stand next to him, confidence always a plus in her when things like this happened. "Is this some sort of joke? How is that even legal?" "Not a joke, I filed the contract on our way here. Isn't that right Councillor Hack?" The short, fat man nodded, a general hum of discontent echoing through the halls, and he saw the triumphant expression on his father's face. "You could choose any vampiress in the world. Why stay so close to home?" The question was unusually polite for a vampire, so Vlad felt it acceptable to answer. "Exactly that. Who else can I know well enough to be sure of their motivrs for seeking me out? After the attempt on my life by Adze Ramanga, I learnt to be more cautious. And to secure my own contract. As for the rest, I don't answer to anyone but myself. So if you have a problem, I have no issues with dusting the floor with your insolence. Shall we continue?"
Those not slightly dumbfounded shook their heads, so Vlad pulled off the Crown and tucked it into his jacket. He owed Ingrid a big bottle of vintage blood for teaching him how to answer, she had been fighting disbelief and bias all her life. Born a somewhat spoiled heir and chosen for something bigger than himself, Vlad had been able to coast along before now without learning. Refusing to be embarrassed by Vlad messing up, Ingrid gave him etiquette for vampires lessons beforehand. Outside of the discomfort, Vlad felt like this while charade may end up being the step he and Ingrid needed to put aside their differences and get along properly. He hoped so, hoped that when Ingrid found someone she wanted, and someone she chose rather than had pushed on her, that their sibling relationship would stay strong.
Miming to the band to start again, Vlad took a step down. "This is a party, feel free to get back to it!" Slowly but surely, with a general air of shock, vampires went back to eating, drinking and dancing. A few members of the High Council came to introduce themselves formally to Vlad, and one even thanked him for dusting Ustrel, he had apparently been too arrogant and full of himself even for them. "Considering he knew he would be passing on the mantel, he kept trying to work out how to get around it." "Well he's the dust around my boots now, and I have my rightful place. If you'll excuse me gentlemen, I must take a dance with my divine looking partner" he cringed internally as he said it, but no male here with Ingrid would fail to point out she was more than conventionally attractive, so he made sure to say so for realism "before any upstart men meet their death trying to move in on her." "Of course Your Grandness. We look forward to seeing you head up the next meeting." They each inclined their heads in a short bow, then moved off to their respective partners or a servant carrying blood around.
Heading to stand in front of Ingrid, a few hopeful looking vampires scattered. "Enjoying the party?" "Watching a room full of vampires who were laughing at a female on the VHC now terrified to even look the wrong way at me? Priceless." Sharing a smile with her, which would look to anyone watching like they were exchanging looks and words of love or devotion he supposed, Vlad held out a hand. "I need this dance before people start suspecting this is as much a cover up as it is." Ingrid looked to be barely restraining herself from rolling her eyes, but took his hand and moved closer to him. His muscles moved more fluidly now, practice and seemingly a new natural grace taking hold as he and Ingrid danced. Leaning in close to her ear and trying not to laugh, Vlad whispered "is dad still glaring?" Ingrid returned the favour, stretching up close to him and whispering back "like he would dust us with a look if he could. Lucky only you can do that really." Amusement danced in her eyes as they moved to look at each other, and they had to look away just to stop themselves laughing. "How were the Council Members?" "Given more than half of them are jealous but not stupid enough to challenge me for your hand, surprisingly polite. The test will be at the next meeting when I swap the seating around. Can't have the Chosen Ones betrothed sitting so far away."
"Typical. Still, means none of them will drool over me. I already discounted all current members of the Council. Any plans to change them?" A particularly bold vampiress was giving Vlad the eye over Ingrid's shoulder, which was adding to Vlad's barely suppressed laughter at someone brave enough to challenge Ingrid while they were literally touching like partners. "Not yet, I'll wait to see who tries to undermine me soon and work to replace them slowly. A total overhaul won't inspire confidence, their experience matters right now but I won't hesitate to make an example of them if I have to. Anyone I should be keeping an eye on?" "Hack is already mine on a silver platter. Morgan is ambitious, and secretive but smart. Vaskow has the brain capacity of a garlic bulb, but is easily bribed by the others. The other three are as yet unknown quantities." "Got it. Now we can stop this before I start laughing hysterically, still weird." "Agreed." Timed well, the song quieted as they seperated, bowing slightly to each other. As awkward as it was, it had worked. And only a few dust piles, so more successful than Vlad had expected. Now all they had to do was keep up the illusion... Oh, and he was grand high vampire now. The first thought that inspired in Vlad was "I need a drink".
-YD-
Happy Birthday Vlad!
I adore season five, but it doesn't suit the story I'm writing here. Sorry Sally and George!